News item | 11-12-2024 | 3:40 PM
3 Dutch startups have been selected for the first phase of the ‘innovation accelerator’ Diana (Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). The startups will each receive a grant of €100,000 from NATO to further develop their innovative solutions.
With more and more threats in the world, it is important to stay one step ahead and strengthen collective defense. This is possible with technological solutions. With the Diana program, NATO wants to accelerate the development and deployability of these solutions. Diana straightens up dual use technology: commercial products that can also be applied in the defense and security domain.
Dutch companies
This year, more than 2,600 companies submitted their dual-use solutions to Diana. This left 74 startups that can now really further develop the technology together with NATO.
88 registrations came from the Netherlands. 3 of these startups may participate in Diana in 2025. It’s about Spherical Systems from Rotterdam, QurieGen from Nijmegen and CUbIQ Technologies from Eindhoven. Spherical Systems develops solutions for energy problems, QurieGen participates in Human Health & Performance challenge from Diana and CUbIQ Technologies works with quantum technology to share data more safely.
Accompaniment
In addition to the subsidy, all Diana participants will receive access to testing centers and guidance from NATO. Brainport Innovation and Technology for Security (BITS) also provides guidance from the government. In addition, the companies will have the opportunity to experiment with their technology in military operational environments.
This first phase of the Diana program will run from January 2025 until the summer. The results of the 74 startups determine who can proceed to the second round. The Delft company Lobster Robotics succeeded in 2024. The company has received new financing and can continue with the development of an underwater drone that can map the seabed very precisely.